![]() ![]() If a regional anesthetic doesn’t work perfectly, general anesthesia is added to stop pain. Sometimes sedatives are also given so that you can doze during your procedure. There’s also the risk of rapid absorption of anesthetic into the bloodstream, causing unconsciousness, convulsions or heart stoppage.įor regional anesthesia, a limited part of your body (usually an arm, leg or foot) is numbed by injecting anesthetic around the main nerve or into the veins. If epidural anesthesia doesn’t work perfectly, the anesthesiologist will add general anesthesia to stop pain.Ĭomplications of epidural anesthesia are the same as for spinal anesthesia. In other cases, your anesthesiologist injects small amounts of sedatives into one of your arms so that you can doze during your procedure. The effect of epidural anesthesia can last longer than spinal anesthesia. Through the catheter, the anesthesiologist can inject booster doses as necessary. Sometimes a small catheter (flexible tube) is left in your back. Minor complications include temporary drop of blood pressure headache (less than 2 percent of cases), usually lasting from a few days to several weeks and the accidental injection of local anesthetic into a vein, causing temporary dizziness.Ī very rare complication is the abnormal spread of anesthetic in the spinal fluid, which can cause temporary breathing weakness permanent nerve or spinal-cord damage, causing pain, numbness, weakness or paralysis of the limbs and bladder or bowel dysfunction.Įpidural anesthesia is similar to spinal anesthesia, except that the injection is made outside the spinal fluid. If a spinal anesthetic doesn’t work perfectly, general anesthesia is added to stop pain. Sometimes your anesthesiologist will give you sedatives through an arm vein so you can sleep during the procedure. Spinal anesthesia is an injection of anesthetic through your back into the spinal fluid, which numbs the lower part of your body. Rare complications include eye soreness loosening or breakage of teeth, dental caps, dentures or bridges irritation of vocal cords from a breathing tube inhalation of stomach contents into the lungs, causing pneumonia heart stoppage brain damage and liver or kidney failure. Minor complications include nausea and vomiting a sore lip, tongue, nose or throat and muscle aches. In such cases, your natural breathing is weakened or stopped, and your anesthesiologist maintains your breathing with an anesthetic machine or respirator. Your anesthesiologist may give you special medications to relax your abdomen and chest muscles. Once you’re asleep, your anesthesiologist may insert a breathing tube through your mouth into your windpipe to control your breathing and protect your airway during surgery. ![]() Most patients under age 10 are pre-medicated to decrease anxiety prior to surgery.įor general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist puts you to sleep by injecting medication into a vein, having you breathe anesthetic from a face mask, or both. If you’re having a minor procedure, such as outpatient surgery, the anesthesiologist may choose not to pre-medicate because it may cause you to take longer to wake up from anesthesia. Sometimes the anesthesiologist will order a medication before surgery to help you feel calm and pleasantly sleepy while you await your surgery. There are a number of anesthesia options. This decision will depend upon the type and duration of procedure, your age and general health, the position your body will need to be in during surgery, the preferences of you and your surgeon, and other factors. Your anesthesiologist will choose the type of anesthesia best suited and safest for you. Feel free to share any questions with your anesthesiologist. You should be aware of this risk when you decide to have a procedure or test that requires anesthesia. While serious anesthetic problems are extremely rare, they can occur - even with the best of medical care. As a result of these advances, many surgical procedures that couldn’t have been performed a generation ago are now possible. ![]() In recent years, there’ve been considerable scientific and technical advances in anesthesia. Anesthesia Benefits and RisksĪnesthesia has many benefits and few drawbacks. When the procedure is finished, your anesthesiologist wakes you and takes you to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). ![]() Your anesthesiologist is a doctor who has years of extra training in inducing a safe anesthetic state - often including controlled breathing, heart action and blood pressure during surgery. Anesthesia also protects your body and brain and helps you withstand the stresses of surgery.Īll anesthetics are administered by our highly trained anesthesiologists. During your surgery, the anesthesiologist’s job is to keep you free from pain and anxiety. At El Camino Health, we perform hundreds of surgical procedures requiring anesthesia each month. ![]()
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